Techscaler Programme 2022-2024: early evaluation - survey write-ups

2 Mentor survey

2.1 Introduction

CodeBase issued an online survey, on behalf of EKOS, to 150 Techscaler mentors on 21 March 2025. The purpose of this survey was to capture the perspectives of mentors on:

• their experience of becoming a Techscaler mentor.
• how the matching and relationship management process worked.
• benefits of mentorship for Techscaler mentees.
• benefits of being a Techscaler mentor.
• the effectiveness of the Techscaler support and activities for tech startups and scaleups.
• suggestions for how the mentorship programme could be improved.

Email reminders were issued by CodeBase to mentors on 7 and 22 April 2025. The mentor survey timescale was extended to help boost participation and the survey closed on 2 May 2025. A total of 43 responses were received when the survey closed — this represents a good response rate of 29%.

The survey asked mentors whether they would be interested in taking part in a follow-up interview with the evaluators to provide more qualitative feedback on their experiences of engagement with Techscaler. Many mentors (31) indicated that they would be happy to take part in a follow-up conversation — a total of 12 interviews were undertaken during June and July 2025. This additional qualitative feedback has been integrated into the main evaluation report.

2.2 Becoming a Techscaler mentor

Mentors who responded to the survey have been a Techscaler mentor for varied lengths of time. The majority (65%) have been a Techscaler mentor for over one year, see Table 2.1.

Table 2.1: How long have you been a Techscaler mentor?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Less than six months	3	7%
Between six months and one year	12	28%
Between one and two years	19	44%
Over two years	9	21%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

The main ways mentors first found out about the Techscaler mentorship programme was directly from CodeBase, from another Techscaler mentor, or through an existing relationship with CodeBase, see Table 2.2. These three ways accounted for over three-quarters (77%) of all responses.

Table 2.2: How did you first hear of the Techscaler mentorship programme?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Directly from the CodeBase team	12	28%
Recommendation from another Techscaler mentor	11	26%
I have an existing relationship with CodeBase	10	23%
Recommendation from a professional contact	5	12%
Saw information on becoming a mentor on the Techscaler website or social media — and filled out the online form	2	5%
Word of mouth from another organisation or agency	2	5%
Don’t know/can’t remember	1	2%
Other	-	-

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

The main motivation for individuals becoming a Techscaler mentor was to share their skills experience, and knowledge and to support the development of tech startup founders and senior leaders (86% each), see Table 2.3. This was followed by to give something back to the tech community (74%).

Table 2.3: Why were you interested in becoming a Techscaler mentor?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
As a way of sharing my skills, experience, and knowledge	37	86%
To support the development of tech startup founders and senior leaders	37	86%
To give something back to the tech community	32	74%
To support my own development and understanding of business	11	26%
To grow my own professional network	9	21%
To gain mentor training	2	5%
Other reason	2	5%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

Multiple response question where respondents could select more than one option and all that applied. Percentages may total more than 100% as a result.

Note: ‘Other’ responses included: to support creative companies and see potential opportunities in a tech world; and to play a role in the establishment of a strong startup ecosystem/tech hub in Scotland.

The vast majority of mentors have current and/or previous mentoring experience outside the Techscaler Programme (88%), with most of this being current mentoring experience, see Table 2.4.

Table 2.4: Do you have mentoring experience outside the Techscaler Programme?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Yes, I am currently mentoring startup and scaleup companies outside the Techscaler Programme	31	72%
Yes, I have previous experience of mentoring startup and scaleup companies prior to becoming a Techscaler mentor	24	56%
No	5	12%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

Multiple response question where respondents could select more than one option and all that applied. Percentages may total more than 100% as a result.

2.3 Mentor application process

Mentors were asked to indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied they were with various aspects of the Techscaler mentor application process and with their initial engagement with CodeBase.

Satisfaction was mixed across all of the statements, see Table 2.5. Points to note include that:

• satisfaction (either very satisfied or satisfied) ranged from a low of 35% for ‘The online ‘Interest in becoming a Mentor’ form’ to a high of 74% for ‘Interview discussion with CodeBase following submission of the mentor form’.
• a couple of statements attracted a sizable ‘Don’t know’ response, including CodeBase check-ins with mentors (23%).

Table 2.5: How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the following aspects of the Techscaler mentor application process and your initial engagement with CodeBase?

Answer choice	Very satisfied – No.	Very satisfied – %	Satisfied– No.		Satisfied– %	Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied – No.	Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied – %
The online ‘Interest in becoming a Mentor’ form	6	14%	9	21%		9	21%
Interview discussion with CodeBase following submission of the mentor form	19	44%	13	30%		4	9%
The exercise undertaken to identify your relevant sectors and areas of expertise	17	40%	11	26%		8	19%
The ability to chat with and ‘shadow’ an experienced Techscaler mentor before you started providing Techscaler mentoring support	18	42%	7	16%		5	12%
CodeBase check-in with mentor and mentee following your first mentoring session	12	28%	7	16%		9	21%

Answer choice	Dissatis-fied – No.	Dissatis- fied – %	Very dissatis-fied – No.	Very dissatis-fied – %	Don’t know – No.	Don’t know – %
The online ‘Interest in becoming a Mentor’ form	-	-	2	5%	17	40%
Interview discussion with CodeBase following submission of the mentor form	-	-	5	12%	2	5%
The exercise undertaken to identify your relevant sectors and areas of expertise	-	-	5	12%	2	5%
The ability to chat with and ‘shadow’ an experienced Techscaler mentor before you started providing Techscaler mentoring support	-	-	4	9%	8	19%
CodeBase check-in with mentor and mentee following your first mentoring session	-	-	5	12%	10	23%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

Most mentors provided qualitative feedback on what worked well with the application process and/or with their initial engagement with the CodeBase team. The main points have been summarised as follows:

• the application and onboarding process for mentors was largely well thought of — processes were considered clear, well-managed, straightforward, smooth, structured, transparent, and thorough.
• mentors said that they received clear communication from CodeBase at the outset, including clear articulation of the steps involved in the onboarding and mentorship process.
• CodeBase were considered approachable, friendly, professional, and responsive, and have helped make new mentors feel comfortable and relaxed as well as sufficiently briefed/informed on the Techscaler Programme and on mentor roles, responsibilities, and requirements.
• the ability of newly onboarded mentors to shadow an experienced mentor before undertaking their own mentoring session was considered helpful and beneficial — the feedback from mentors confirmed that this onboarding mechanism helped to instil confidence in new Techscaler mentors, clarified the process and approach, and ensured new mentors felt supported, prepared to deliver an effective first session, and knew what to expect.

Around half of mentors provided qualitative feedback on what worked less well with the application process and/or with their initial engagement with CodeBase. Some mentors who became a mentor with Techscaler in the earlier stages of programme delivery commented that processes, materials, and onboarding have improved over time — this was welcomed and considered a positive step. Other points raised by mentors included that:

• the time taken between stages (for example, from mentor application to interview, from mentor interview to confirmation of onboarding, or from onboarding to delivering mentor sessions) felt lengthy — there was some feedback that internal processes could be smoother and quicker.
• new Techscaler mentors might benefit from being able to shadow two experienced mentors, rather than one, as part of the onboarding process — so that new Techscaler mentors can experience different mentoring styles and approaches before they delivered the first session.
• mentors felt that there could be greater clarity and transparency from CodeBase around how the matching process worked as well as ensuring mentors have sufficient notice and lead-in time when they have been matched/to accommodate new mentees.
• CodeBase communications could be improved — various points related to communications were raised by mentors, including that some mentors felt that they might have missed some messages or communications when they joined via the Slack platform. Some mentors said they might be registered for some communications but not others. Another point raised that was that a better balance could be struck in communications to ensure new Techscaler mentors did not feel overloaded with information and communications.

2.4 Financial compensation

The vast majority (93%) of mentors indicated that they valued the financial compensation they received for the Techscaler mentoring services provided, see Table 2.6.

Table 2.6: Do you value the financial compensation you receive from Techscaler for the mentoring services you provide?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Yes	40	93%
No	1	2%
Don’t know/unsure	2	5%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

Wider qualitative feedback from these mentors highlighted that they valued the financial compensation received as:

• it helped to cover some but not all of the costs associated with the time mentors spent on preparing for sessions, delivering mentoring support, any follow-up with mentees, and that it recognised the effort and energy of mentors involvement.
• it was said to be commensurate with consulting rates and with other mentoring programmes, and it showed that CodeBase valued and recognised the knowledge, experience, industry expertise, skills, and value mentors brought to nurturing and supporting founders and their contribution to the overall Techscaler Programme.
• remuneration made it easier for mentors to free up, prioritise or dedicate more time out of their busy schedules and existing commitments to be involved in the mentorship programme and to contribute to the Techscaler effort.
• mentors connect mentees with their own networks and contacts, and this was considered hugely valuable to mentees.

Only 7% of mentors indicated that they did not value the financial compensation they received for the Techscaler mentoring services provided, or were unsure, see Table 2.6. Wider qualitative feedback from these mentors was that they do it to help and to give something back.

A majority (66%) of mentors reported that the financial compensation received from Techscaler was a material consideration in their decision to offer time to the Techscaler Programme, see Table 2.7. The main reasons put forward for this viewpoint included that:

• financial compensation made it easier for these mentors to commit or invest more of their time and energy to providing mentoring support as part of Techscaler amidst busy schedules and other commitments — that is, the payment helped to compensate for some of their time and input, including those who have their own company, or other competing priorities, or other professional and personal responsibilities.
• some mentors mentioned that they provide mentoring supporting outside the Techscaler Programme or were Board trustees on a voluntary basis — and that there was a limit to the time they could provide for free.
• mentees expected mentors to be compensated for their input as this helped to demonstrate the value of the service to them both personally and professionally.

Table 2.7: To what extent was the financial compensation a material consideration in your decision to offer your time to the Techscaler Programme as a mentor?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
To a large extent	14	33%
To some extent	14	33%
To a limited extent	10	23%
Not at all	5	12%
Don’t know/unsure	-	-

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

A further 23% of mentors reported that the financial compensation was a material consideration, to a limited extent, in their decision to offer time to the Techscaler Programme as a mentor. Here, the main mentor feedback centred on a desire to give something back and to make a difference to tech founders and companies —while financial compensation was welcomed (it helped to compensate for some of their time and incentivised more commitment) it was not the only reason for them becoming a Techscaler mentor.

The remainder (12%) of mentors reported that the financial compensation was not a material consideration in their decision to offer time to the Techscaler Programme as a mentor. The main reasons put forward for this viewpoint included that:

• financial compensation was viewed as a bonus rather than essential — albeit there was recognition within the feedback provided that financial compensation might be a more important consideration for some mentors.
• their incentive to be involved as a mentor was not financially motivated.

Almost all (95%) mentors rated CodeBase’s relationship management with mentors as either good or very good, see Table 2.8.

Table 2.8: How would you rate CodeBase’s relationship management with mentors on a scale of very good to very poor?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Very good	25	60%
Good	15	35%
Average	-	-
Poor	-	-
Very poor	2	5%
Don’t know/unsure	-	-

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=42.

Qualitative feedback provided by these mentors highlighted that:

• CodeBase were approachable, easy to interact with, and do a good job — these mentors were broadly happy with the contact they have had with and receive from CodeBase.
• suggestions made by these mentors for improvement included:
  • greater visibility of the future pipeline of mentees coming through the programme — mentors sometimes felt that they have a lot of mentoring sessions close together and then other times with very few or no sessions at all.
  • exploring ways to streamline the current way to book sessions.
  • exploring ways to join up emerging themes and challenges from the mentorship programme across the network, so Techscaler initiatives/materials were amended accordingly.
  • that CodeBase could encourage more mentees to provide feedback on their mentoring experience (some do, some don’t) and sharing this with mentors in a timely fashion.
  • mentors should be able to update their own mentor bio on the platform used for the programme.

The remainder (5%) of mentors rated CodeBase’s relationship management with mentors as very poor. While absolute numbers were small, the qualitative feedback provided by these mentors highlighted that:

• there could be more opportunities for mentors to connect with CodeBase and with other mentors.
• the volume of group wide emails and reply-all chains could be frustrating.
• a perception that the Techscaler Programme was run by people who have not previously worked in a startup or scaleup.

2.5 Mentor training and support

Interesting, only around one-quarter of mentors (24%) indicated that they have received any mentor training and/or other support since becoming a Techscaler mentor, see Table 2.9. The vast majority of mentors (76%) indicated that they have not received any mentor training and/or other support since becoming a Techscaler mentor or were unsure.

Table 2.9: Have you received any mentor training and/or other support since becoming a Techscaler mentor?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Yes	10	24%
No	27	64%
Don’t know/not sure	5	12%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=42.

All mentors who indicated that they have received mentor training and/or other support since becoming a Techscaler mentor said that this was either useful or extremely useful, see Table 2.10.

Table 2.10: How would you rate Techscaler’s mentor training and support?

Answer choice	Number		Percentage
Extremely useful	5		50%
Useful	5		50%
Neither/nor	-		-
Not that useful	-		-
Not useful at all	-		-
Don’t know/unsure	-		-

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=10.

Mentors provided limited qualitative feedback regarding potential improvements for the Techscaler Programme’s mentor training and support. This potentially suggests that mentors were broadly satisfied with the current approach (as reflected in the feedback presented earlier in this chapter).

A few mentors took the time to reiterate that:

• the support received from CodeBase has been helpful.
• the provision of guidance and principles for the mentoring programme has been useful to better understand the tone and cultural ethos of the programme.
• the shadowing support has been invaluable for new Techscaler mentors.
• regular debriefs/post-delivery workshops have been welcomed.

As noted, limited suggestions were made for how Techscaler’s mentor training and support could be improved. A suggestion made included that ‘maybe more on do's and don'ts, some examples of success stories achieved with mentorship as well as some cautionary tales would be beneficial.’

Table 2.11: Do you attend/participate in the Techscaler online ‘mentor meet up’ sessions (an unpaid monthly opportunity to get to know each other and receive peer support) and/or the ‘mentor mixers’ (an unpaid informal get together of mentors and founders a few times a year)

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Yes, mentor meet-ups	23	53%
Yes, mentor mixers	15	35%
No, not yet but I plan to for a least one of these	17	40%
No, and I do not plan to	-	-
Don’t know/unsure	-	-

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

Multiple response question where respondents could select more than one option and all that applied. Percentages may total more than 100% as a result.

The majority (65%) of mentors who have attended/participated in the Techscaler online ‘mentor meet up’ sessions, and almost all (93%) who have been involved in the ‘mentor mixers' reported that these sessions have either been useful or extremely useful, see Table 2.12 and Table 2.13. The meet up sessions received lower positive ratings overall.

Table 2.12: How would you rate the usefulness of the mentor meet ups which you have participated in/attended?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Extremely useful	4	17%
Useful	11	48%
Neither/nor	4	17%
Not that useful	3	13%
Not useful at all	1	4%
Don’t know/unsure	-	-

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=23.

Table 2.13: How would you rate the usefulness of the mentor mixers which you have participated in/attended?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Extremely useful	7	47%
Useful	7	47%
Neither/nor	-	-
Not that useful	-	-
Not useful at all	1	6%
Don’t know/unsure	-	-

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=15.

Most mentors provided qualitative feedback on what worked well with the mentor meet ups and/or the mentor mixers which they have participated in. The main points have been summarised below.

The mentor meet ups and/or the mentor mixers sessions:

• were friendly and welcoming sessions with a good level of topic-based discussion — support was also expressed by mentors for the in-person sessions held.
• provided opportunities for mentors to meet and form connections with their peers/other mentors, to network, and helped to encourage conversation and discussion.
• provided opportunities for mentors to share experiences, stories, ideas, and learning — for example, what worked well with the mentorship programme, what challenges their mentees faced, and how they have helped mentees to resolve issues or challenges.
• enabled mentors to develop expand their own professional networks.

Where mentors made suggestions for how the mentor meet ups and/or the mentor mixers could be improved (albeit it was not always clear which one they are referring to), this included that:

• the sessions could benefit from more structured facilitation (that is, chaired, agenda with key topics for discussion) — for example, facilitation could help ensure everyone has a say/participate/share perspectives and that strong voices do not dominate the conversation, and that mentors could be asked for potential discussion topics which were advertised in advance of the meeting to help encourage increased attendance/participation.
• CodeBase could schedule all sessions in the diary at the outset of the year rather than on a more ad hoc basis to ensure mentors have sufficient notice of when these will take place — other suggestions included that: there could be more than one online session a month or that the day of the week/time of day could be varied; the numbers who attend online sessions should not be capped to account for those who register a slot but who then do not attend; and hosting special interest meetings every quarter could be also considered.
• more action could be taken by CodeBase to encourage increased participation from across the Techscaler mentor network as a whole — to secure wide engagement and commitment beyond a small core group who attend on a regular basis. Although not raised to a great extent, there was feedback that a lack of engagement in the sessions may be related to the unpaid nature of these sessions for mentors.
• CodeBase could share key learning and lessons learned at the sessions — for example, from the mentorship programme, from the wider Techscaler Programme, etc.

2.6 The matching process

The majority (65%) of mentors felt the matching process worked well in terms of CodeBase connecting them with suitable and appropriate mentees, and a further 23% reported that the process was ok, see Table 2.14. Fewer respondents (12%) suggested that the matching process could be improved.

Table 2.14: How do you feel the matching process works in terms of CodeBase connecting you with suitable and appropriate mentees?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
The process works well	28	65%
The process is ok	10	23%
The process could be improved	5	12%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

Around two-thirds of mentors identified aspects of the matching process that worked well. Common feedback from these mentors was that:

• CodeBase has a good understanding of mentors’ backgrounds, strengths, areas of interest, expertise and specialisms and use this knowledge to inform the matching process.
• in further support of the aforementioned bullet, there was some feedback from mentors who reported that they have been matched with the right individuals and types of company — and that the matching process has facilitated good/relevant/constructive/productive connections to be formed between mentors and mentees and has identified those situations where mentors could help mentees and add value.
• CodeBase share a mentee summary with mentors prior to engagement which was considered helpful and allowed mentors to review mentees specific needs.

A few mentors intimated that there were no areas for improvement, while other feedback was that it was difficult to form an overall view of the matching process — “…it's hard to judge if it works well — I can't see who isn't matched with me.”

Where suggestions were made for improvements to how the matching process worked in practice, the main points raised related to:

• the frequency of matching and opportunities and ensuring mentors were clear on how the matching and selection process/framework worked, and who did the final selection — to aid improved transparency and understanding. A few mentors either reported no or few matches (and were not sure why this has been the case), and others said that they were uncertain why they have been matched with some startups but not others or were not sure why their experience was not deemed as relevant. Providing mentors with an overview of the companies in the Techscaler Programme could give mentors with a better understanding of who has been involved and where they may be best able to add value.
• timing — there was feedback that notice of matches felt rushed/last minute, and that more advanced notice would be helpful to support better planning, etc.

Other feedback on improvements to the matching process (note: absolute numbers were small) included that:

• more could be done to ensure mentees were clear on the role and purpose of mentoring — for example, there might be a misunderstanding among some mentees that mentors will be investors or unlock investment.
• CodeBase could explore ways to improve the consistency of mentors meeting new startups — for example, helping with new cohorts, either onboarding or post-onboarding, creating workshops, sessions, relevant sales and marketing support in line with the Techscaler Programme.
• it was considered important that mentors have practical, hands-on experience as an operator or founder within a company to be of most value to mentees.
• CodeBase could consider sharing some of the mentee feedback with other potential mentees as testimonials to help mentees choose a mentor.
• CodeBase could undertake follow-up meetings with mentors to ask them for feedback on the mentoring sessions, mentees progress, etc. — it was suggested that this could also help ensure mentors have a strong understanding of how the Techscaler Programme continues to improve and evolve its offer.
• matching based on skill sets was considered useful, but some mentors said that suitable matches might also come down to personalities too.
• CodeBase could help ensure the crib sheet information and sessions notes were complete.

Over half of mentors (56%) reported that CodeBase has matched them to provide Techscaler mentoring support many times, and a further 37% have been matched but not often, see Table 2.15.

Table 2.15: Has Codebase matched you to provide Techscaler mentoring support to mentees?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Yes, many times	24	56%
Yes, not often	16	37%
No, not yet	3	7%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

2.7 Benefits to mentees from receiving Techscaler mentoring support

Mentors reported that they bring a wide range of knowledge and expertise to the mentor relationship, see Table 2.16. This included aspects such as growth and innovation (88%), product development (76%), and market/sales (74%).

Table 2.16: What knowledge and expertise do you bring to the mentor relationship?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Growth and innovation	37	88%
Product development	32	76%
Market/sales	31	74%
Finance/investment	23	55%
Recruitment	19	45%
Exit strategy	19	45%
Legal	8	19%
Other	11	29%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=42.

Multiple response question where respondents could select more than one option and all that applied. Percentages may total more than 100% as a result.

Note: ‘Other’ responses include: data and artificial intelligence strategy; creative industries, games, film and media; value proposition design and business model design; personal growth; leadership; team productivity; manufacturing; operations; regulatory landscape and approvals for go-to-market discussions; quality systems; supply chain management; technology; professional development; strategy; management; and KPIs.

Mentors have helped mentees in a range of ways, with the most common responses, including:

• listened and provided constructive challenge to consider a range of options and prioritise opportunities (93%).
• provided an independent objective perspective on business growth (88%).
• helped to focus on key issues and development opportunities (86%).
• shared my own business experience (84%), see Table 2.17.

Further, 44% have signposted mentees to other Techscaler support — this has mainly been to education programmes, see Table 2.18.

Table 2.17: How have you helped mentees in your role as mentor?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Listened and provided constructive challenge to consider a range of options and prioritise opportunities	40	93%
Provided an independent objective perspective on business growth	38	88%
Helped to focus on key issues and development opportunities	37	86%
Shared my own business experience	36	84%
Shared resources — for example, provided tools and tips	33	77%
Helped to make introductions to my network	33	77%
Helped mentees to establish new professional connections	26	60%
Signposted mentees to other ecosystem support to access ongoing startup and scaleup support	20	47%
Signposted mentees to other Techscaler support	19	44%
It is too early to tell/have not provided mentoring yet	4	9%
Other	3	7%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

Multiple response question where respondents could select more than one option and all that applied. Percentages may total more than 100% as a result.

Note: ‘Other’ responses include: provided guidance on investment funding options and approaches; provided perspective on technical challenges and finding suitable markets; and sharing learnings obtained from Reforge with mentees.

Table 2.18: Which Techscaler support have you signposted mentees to?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Next Steps	13	68%
Reforge	13	68%
First Steps	10	53%
Funding readiness support	8	42%
International programmes	7	37%
Startup Basics	5	26%
Regional hubs	4	21%
Other Techscaler support	3	16%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=19.

Multiple response question where respondents could select more than one option and all that applied. Percentages may total more than 100% as a result.

Note: ‘Other Techscaler support’ responses include: local meetups in regional hubs; grant support; and Techscaler MVP grant.

Mentors reported that mentees have derived a range of personal benefits from their involvement in the mentorship programme, with the top three benefits reported as:

• improved knowledge of startup and/or scale up fundamentals (91%)
• it has helped them to focus on key issues and prioritise actions/next steps (91%).
• being challenged in a supportive manner/environment (81%), see Table 2.19.

Table 2.19: What do you consider the main personal benefits to mentees who are supported by the Techscaler mentor network?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Improved knowledge of startup and/or scale up fundamentals	39	91%
Helps them to focus on key issues and prioritise actions/next steps	39	91%
Being challenged in a supportive manner/environment	35	81%
Increased confidence	34	79%
Access to an independent objective perspective on growth	33	77%
Improved mindset	31	72%
New relationships, contacts, and networks developed	29	67%
Increased motivation	21	49%
Higher quality pitches	20	47%
Other benefit	2	5%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=43.

Multiple response question where respondents could select more than one option and all that applied. Percentages may total more than 100% as a result.

Note: ‘Other’ responses include: understanding market and how critical this is for growth and investment; and exposure to a group of professionals with experience, acumen and understanding.

Further, mentors reported that mentees have also derived a range of business benefits from their involvement with Techscaler mentors, with the top three benefits reported as:

• support with strategy development and implementation (90%).
• greater confidence in company resilience/sustainability (83%).
• enhanced investor readiness (71%), see Table 2.20.

Table 2.20: What do you consider the main business benefits to mentees who are supported by the Techscaler mentor network?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Support with strategy development and implementation	38	90%
Greater confidence in company resilience/sustainability	35	83%
Enhanced investor readiness	30	71%
Improved understanding of ecosystem support	22	52%
Improved access to ecosystem support	18	43%
Funding raised/secured	17	40%
Increased number of funding/investment deals completed	14	33%
Other benefit	8	19%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=42.

Multiple response question where respondents could select more than one option and all that applied. Percentages may total more than 100% as a result.

Note: ‘Other’ responses include: business growth; hiring; delegation; basic understanding of addressing a clear business need in a beachhead market; community; insight into a business environment; improved commercial offering/understanding; appreciation of commitment required to deliver; sharing practical advice on areas needed for building a business; and user adoption.

2.8 Benefits to Techscaler mentors

In response to an open-ended question, circa 90% of mentors reported personal benefits as a direct result of becoming a Techscaler mentor. The main benefits reported were that mentors have:

• a sense of satisfaction from helping to nurture and support startups and scaleups — building relationships and helping others develop personally and professionally.
• a sense of self-fulfilment from sharing their own knowledge experiences with mentees — it was a rewarding thing to do.
• increased confidence among newer mentors in providing mentoring support — as well sharpening mentoring and interpersonal skills.
• increased knowledge from connecting and sharing experiences with other mentors has been a learning opportunity for mentors.
• gained inspiration, learned new things, and gained different perspectives from their mentees.
• felt part of the wider tech ecosystem or community.
• further built upon and expand mentors their own professional network.
• enhanced their own resume or profile.

Almost all (85%) of mentors reported that involvement in the Techscaler mentorship programme has either met or exceeded their expectations, see Table 2.21. The main reasons put forward for this response included that these mentors:

• have been matched with a good range of interesting founders and companies who they have enjoyed working with and supporting.
• said mentees have been engaged in the mentoring process and some have been inspirational.
• have seen first-hand the positive and tangible impacts the mentoring support has had on their mentees — it has helped them to overcome challenges, progress in their career/journey, improve their businesses and products, etc.
• attached value to being part of the wider Techscaler Programme and community.
• have gained a lot from connecting with their peers (that is, other mentors).

Table 2.21: To what extent has the Techscaler mentorship programme met your expectations from becoming involved?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
It has exceeded my expectations	17	40%
It has met my expectations	19	45%
It has fallen short of my expectations in some way	6	15%

Source: EKOS mentor online survey. Base=42.

The remainder (15%) of mentors reported that involvement in the Techscaler mentorship programme has fallen short of their expectations.

The main point raised by these mentors (and by some of those who reported that it has met their expectations) was that they felt they have not been matched with mentees to any great extent or at all, and that they had expected more frequent or regular mentoring sessions.

A wider point raised was barriers to repeat mentoring — this was put down to a range of factors such as the booking system and available funding for mentorship, but that this created an artificial bottleneck in the process.

2.9 Involvement in other aspects of Techscaler

A positive finding was that the majority (64%) of mentors said they have been involved in other aspects of the Techscaler Programme over and above mentoring, see Table 2.22.

Table 2.22: Have you been involved in any other aspects of the Techscaler Programme over and above mentoring (for example, speaker at an event, attended a Techscaler event)?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
Yes	27	64%
No	15	36%

Source: EKOS Mentor online survey. Base=42.

Those who have been involved in other aspects of the Techscaler Programme provided feedback on their experience. Points raised included that:

• mentors highlighted the different ways they have been involved in the programme — this ranged from being a speaker or panellist at an event to organising a workshop for the Catalyst Programme, and from delivering education content to multiple cohorts of participants to delivering workshops and webinars, and from running a pitch desk session to attending events and conferences.
• mentors in the main said that their experience has been positive — with feedback including that:
  • they have been sufficiently and clearly briefed by CodeBase (where relevant), that the support they have received from the team has been good/responsive, things/their input have been well organised, and they received feedback from Techscaler on their involvement afterwards.
  • events and panels have been well attended and received, and attendees/participants actively engaged — they also provided opportunities to keep up to date with the latest developments in the Scottish startup ecosystem, networking opportunities, as well as keeping abreast of how the Techscaler Programme has evolved.
  • some mentors expressed interest in being involved more often where relevant and appropriate.
• there was limited negative feedback from these mentors (absolute numbers small, and were all individual points) — this centred on inherent challenges associated with facilitating hybrid sessions (that is, where some people attend in person while others dial in remotely), the time taken to get things arranged/approved (for example, webinar sessions), a perception that some participants get more value out of courses/workshops (and were more engaged) than others, and a sense that attendance at workshops they have been involved in could have been better, albeit it was reported that they did not know what average attendance at similar workshops has been.

The remainder of mentors (36%) who responded to the survey said that they have not been involved in other aspects of the Techscaler Programme over and above mentoring. The main feedback from these mentors was that:

• they face time constraints which affects their ability to get more involved in Techscaler (for example, work commitments).
• the timing of some events (evenings) was challenging when they have other commitments, including family commitments.
• they have either not been asked if they wish to be involved in other aspects of the programme or said that they might have missed communications which raised awareness of these opportunities, or that they were not aware that they could be involved in other aspects of Techscaler.

2.10 In the absence of the Techscaler mentor network

Circa half (47%) of mentors reported that either all, almost all, or most of the impacts they reported earlier can be attributed to the Techscaler mentor network, see Table 2.23.

Table 2.23: What proportion of the benefits you identified earlier do you think can be attributed to the Techscaler mentor network?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
None	-	-
A small amount of the impacts (up to 10%)	2	5%
Some of the impacts (up to 25%)	4	9%
Up to half of the impacts (up to 50%)	7	16%
Most of the impacts (up to 75%)	14	33%
Almost all of the impacts (up to 90%)	2	5%
All of the impacts (100%)	4	9%
Don’t know/ Not sure	10	23%

Source: EKOS Mentor online survey. Base=43.

2.11 Challenges and issues

A handful of mentors indicated that there had been no specific challenges or issues, however, the remainder of mentors highlighted various challenges based on their experience of being a Techscaler mentor.

The main challenges and issues raised by mentors was that some did not feel that they have been matched as much as they expected, and that some mentees might benefit from additional (or more regular) sessions and check-ins to meaningfully benefit from mentorship. While others might actually require less mentoring support.

A wider range of issues were raised, but not to any great extent. This included:

• a perception that a set of common challenges were experienced by very early-stage founders, and that one-to-many workshop sessions might be a better approach, freeing up the focus of mentoring support on more specific founder issues.
• whether Techscaler has an accurate understanding of company needs and issues to inform the matching process (self-reported by the founder/company) — it was suggested that there could be value in a more independent assessment of company need being undertaken to assess where companies are at and to match them more appropriately with support and/or mentorship. There was a perception that certain companies might need significantly more or less support.
• gaps between monthly mentoring sessions were challenging, especially for those fast-moving founders/companies who might require more regular check-ins or where they have an issue or challenge that is pressing.
• managing the expectations of mentees.
• mentors not always being clear on what other Techscaler support the mentee has been involved in or if they have also been matched with another mentor.
• keeping mentors abreast of the Techscaler and wider ecosystem support offering so that they could effectively signpost mentees where appropriate — albeit there was acknowledgement that there was a role for mentors to keep on top of this themselves too.

2.12 Would you recommend the Techscaler mentorship programme

The Net Promoter Score (NPS)^[1] for whether existing Techscaler mentors would recommend being a Techscaler mentor to others is 72 which is excellent, see Table 2.24.

Table 2.24: How likely are you to recommend being a Techscaler mentor to other potential mentors, where 1 is definitely not to 10 already have?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
1 — Definitely not	1	2%
2	-	-
3	1	2%
4	-	-
5 — Maybe	1	2%
6	-	-
7	-	-
8	6	14%
9	5	12%
10 — Already have	28	67%

Source: EKOS Mentor online survey. Base=42.

The NPS for whether Techscaler mentors would recommend being a Techscaler mentee is 46 which is great, see Table 2.25.

Table 2.25: How likely are you to recommend being a Techscaler mentor to other potential mentees, where 1 is definitely not to 10 already have?

Answer choice	Number	Percentage
1 — Definitely not	-	-
2	1	2%
3	1	2%
4	1	2%
5 — Maybe	4	10%
6	1	2%
7	3	7%
8	4	10%
9	9	21%
10 — Already have	19	45%

Source: EKOS Mentor online survey. Base=43.

2.13 Effectiveness of Techscaler support

Points to note from Table 2.26 (below) include that:

• the majority of mentors considered the Techscaler support effective for tech startups and scale ups — the most effective support was said to be mentorship (100% rated either effective or very effective). This was followed by the education courses (89%) and funding readiness support (89%).
• the regional hubs (30%), followed by international programmes (27%) were more likely to be considered of average (or less) effectiveness — albeit a majority of mentors still considered these effective.

Table 2.26: How effective or otherwise do you think the following Techscaler support is for tech startups and scaleups?

Types of Support	Very effective – No.	Very effective – %	Effective – No.	Effective – %	Average – No.	Average – %
Education support Startup Basics, First Steps and next steps (N=35)	17	49%	14	40%	4	11%
Education support Reforge (N=29)	14	48%	10	34%	5	17%
Bespoke support International programmes (N=26)	9	35%	10	38%	7	27%
Bespoke support Mentorship (N=37)	24	65%	13	35%	-	-
Bespoke support Funding readiness support (N=27)	8	30%	16	59%	3	11%
Regional hubs (N=27)	9	33%	10	37%	7	26%

Answer choice	Not effective – No.	Not effective – %	Not at all effective – No.	Not at all effective – %	Don’t know – No.	Don’t know – %
Education support Startup Basics, First Steps and next steps (N=35)	-	-	-	-	-	-
Education support Reforge (N=29)	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bespoke support International programmes (N=26)	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bespoke support Mentorship (N=37)	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bespoke support Funding readiness support (N=27)	-	-	-	-	-	-
Regional hubs (N=27)	1	4%	-	-	-	-

Source: EKOS Mentor online survey.

When asked ‘What, if anything, works well with the support’ the main points raised by mentors included that:

• the range, content, and quality of support available to founders and their teams was considered a strength of Techscaler — it has helped founders to develop the necessary theory and basics to startup and grow their business and has provided them with practical tools and tips on how to go about it. It has also helped founders to focus and prioritise and has increased their knowledge as well as their awareness of the wider ecosystem.
• the design of Techscaler support has meant that the programme has supported a large number of individuals/businesses regardless of their stage of development.
• the one-to-one Techscaler support which has connected founders to those with industry/startup/scaleup experience, such as mentoring — this has: connected founders to individuals who have direct experience from the setup and growth of their own business(es) and who know the various issues, challenges and pitfalls that they might come up against; allowed advice and support to be tailored to the founder’s needs; and has helped to empower founders to take the next steps.

On the flip side, when asked ‘What, if anything, works less well’, the main points raised by mentors included that:

• there could be greater Techscaler focus and support for companies to grow and scale — including working with high potential founders and companies to ensure they have increased access to investors and larger-scale funding opportunities, more founder connection programmes to bring together people with ideas, support to pivot, etc.
• mentees could only access one mentoring session a month — access to more than one session a month (where appropriate) could help build momentum and be more impactful in terms of supporting companies to grow and scale. Wider feedback was that successful entrepreneurs are generally time poor and driven to move fast, and that one-to-one support was more appropriate and impactful than one-to-many support for these companies.
• not all mentors felt exposed to other parts of the Techscaler Programme — and that increased awareness, and involvement could support the programme and mentoring to be more impactful.
• there was considered to have been a lack of companies joining the physical hubs at tenants, etc. — it has not created the buzz/community throughout Scotland as perhaps anticipated at the outset.
• running a startup can be a lonely place — there could be increased opportunities for founders to connect and talk with their peers and industry mentors.
• while Techscaler programmes were generally said to be good — there was some mentor feedback that not all founders need the same support at the same time, with a suggestion that some founders have spent time learning things that they might already know and did not need.

A few mentors indicated that they were not very familiar with other aspects of the Techscaler Programme, beyond the mentoring programme, and were not able to comment on this or provide an informed view on what worked well and less well — and indicated that they would like to learn more about Techscaler.

2.14 Views on the quality of tech startups and scale up coming through Techscaler

Mentors were asked the question ‘Based on your engagement with Techscaler, what are your views on the quality of tech startups and scaleups coming through the Techscaler Programme?’

There was mixed feedback to this question.

Some mentors reported that, in their experience, the quality of tech startups and scaleups coming through the Techscaler Programme has generally been good or very good, with some saying that this has also improved over time. This point is further evidenced in the qualitative responses which highlighted that:

• mentors have been impressed by the quality and range of ideas and companies, and vision among founders they have mentored.
• mentees/founders were viewed as critical ‘talent’ in Scotland — mentors described some of their mentees using terms such as ‘intelligent’, ‘diligent’, ‘focussed’, ‘driven’, ‘enthusiastic’, ‘motivated’, and ‘sincere’.
• mentors have worked with some ‘stand out’ founders and companies who they said have improved quickly with Techscaler support and mentoring.

Other mentors indicated that the quality of tech startups and scaleups coming through the Techscaler Programme has been variable — with terms used such as ‘mixed’, ‘average’ and ‘varied’. Not all explained why they said this.

However, the range of points raised mainly by individual mentors included that:

• there have been some mentees who maybe should not be receiving mentoring support (at this time) — and that it was also important to separate the individual from the business idea — sometimes the business idea was poor, but the individual was excellent, or vice versa and so it was important that Techscaler casts the net wide for engagement. Wider feedback was that not all ideas were going to be successful, but that these ideas need to come through to help the founders recognise this — it is all part of the journey.
• there was feedback that some mentors had expected there to be mixed quality — for example, getting naive founders to become competitive businesspeople that found successful startups instead of vanity projects. They said that the ecosystem in Scotland was well behind other places — some of this was due to founders being young and needing to learn, as well as more structural issues at play.
• Scotland needs more people starting high quality startups in general and Techscaler appears to have been most useful for very early stage or first-time founders. These mentors said they would like to see Techscaler supporting more second time founders, more experienced startup leaders, and more later stage companies, including via mentoring support. Mentors said that scaling companies have similar and complex challenges, so reaching them or keeping them engaged through this stage could really benefit the Scottish tech community and see more succeed.

Further, a few mentors said that they were unable to answer this question — either because they said that they mentor founders through both Techscaler and Eagle Labs and did not know which have matched mentees with them, they have not mentored many people via Techscaler, or that they did not have a wider sense of the Techscaler population of supported founders/companies to provide an informed view.

2.15 Future delivery of the Techscaler mentorship programme

When asked ‘What opportunities, if any, do you think could be made to the Techscaler mentorship programme to maximise the impact of the Scottish Government investment’, the main suggestions proposed by mentors included that:

• the mentorship programme could be more flexible in its design and delivery, for example:
  • high potential founders and growth and scaleup companies could benefit from access to additional and/or more intensive mentoring sessions to accelerate the growth of later stage companies.
  • CodeBase could explore the potential for one-to-many mentoring sessions (in addition to the one-to-one support) to encourage the sharing of experiences, to troubleshoot recurring challenges, to guide high growth potential startups collectively, and to facilitate collaboration across startups.
• CodeBase could look to secure more involvement from mentors and explore ways to leverage and maximise the knowledge, experience, and insights mentors bring to the mentorship programme and to the wider Techscaler Programme, for example:
  • routinely capturing and sharing feedback from mentors on how the mentoring programme has worked in practice, key learning from startups and failed startups, any notable successes, and to celebrate and disseminate communications more widely and frequently on successes and impact (for example, not only in the annual report).
  • ensure mentors were regularly informed, aware of, and have visibility of the different components of the programme (and its goals) — so that they could get more involved, where appropriate, and to improve signposting mentees to other relevant support.
• CodeBase could review the mentor pool — in terms of size and quality — the perception was that the mentor pool was too large and that there could be renewed focus on recruiting mentors who are/have been experienced founders or experienced operators in tech startup and scaleup companies.
• there could be clear measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) for the mentoring sessions (for example, percentage of actions implemented, survival rates, job creation, etc) — as well a red/amber/green (RAG) mechanism during mentor sessions to prioritise potential ‘highflyers’ and ‘weed out’ companies who are not committing to the process or stepping up.

Other points raised by mentors included:

• how to ensure consistency of good quality mentoring support and advice — a point raised is that many startups go through similar phases and milestones and that there should be a clearer pathway that guides the journey — and that each mentor was likely to have their own playbook and their own idea of ‘what good looks like’ which could lead to cases where advice and support is inconsistent and a lack of clarity on goals.
• improved marketing of the mentorship programme to founders to help onboard more mentees.

2.16 Final comments

Mentors were asked whether they had any final comments they would like to feed into the Techscaler evaluation.

Many mentors took the opportunity to reiterate points raised throughout this chapter. A range of positive comments were made about the Techscaler Programme and about the mentorship programme specifically.

This included feedback that:

• the original intent of creating Techscaler Programme was supported — there was also feedback that the programme could be a strategic game changer for Scotland.
• CodeBase has in the main done a good job so far in its early stages of delivery — but that it would be important to maintain and further build on that collective effort (and impact).

Areas for improvement identified in final comments included:

• ensuring a high-quality mentor pool was considered vitally important — mentors who could provide the practical support which founders need.
• that the programme could benefit from having more members of the CodeBase team with prior entrepreneurial and scaleup experience.
• the importance of making the support easy to access, in particular for founders who were said to be time poor, etc.